Lockdown Protocol

How This Combo Ranks

In the database of tested CPU-GPU combinations for Lockdown Protocol, the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 ranks 163rd out of 3,714 combos, placing it comfortably in the top 5% of all tested systems. That percentile standing is strong, but it is not a top-tier result; the ranking reflects a high-end GPU carrying a mid-range CPU, which is a combination that performs admirably but leaves some performance on the table in CPU-bound scenarios.

The combo's rank is driven largely by the GPU's benchmark dominance. The RTX 5080 sits at the 87th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 56,083. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE, scores 57,367, which is 2.2% higher, meaning the RTX 5080 is actually slightly behind that competitor in raw compute benchmarks. Conversely, the RTX 5080 is 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon 8060S and 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB. These are tight margins; the RTX 5080 is not dramatically faster than its closest peers, but in Lockdown Protocol specifically, the measured FPS figures show it delivers very high framerates.

The CPU side tells a different story. The Intel Core Ultra 5 235 ranks at the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 46,062. Its nearest rivals are remarkably close: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 scores 46,030 (0.1% lower), the Intel Core i9-13900HX scores 46,098 (0.1% higher), and the AMD EPYC 4364P scores 45,970 (0.2% lower). This clustering means the Ultra 5 235 is essentially performance-equivalent to several other CPUs in synthetic benchmarks, and any differences in Lockdown Protocol framerates will come down to game-specific optimization rather than raw CPU muscle.

Taken together, the data shows a system that ranks high due to the GPU's strength, but the CPU's mid-pack positioning (relative to the GPU's top-tier standing) means the combo does not crack the top 100. The 163rd rank out of 3,714 is still an elite result, and the measured FPS in-game confirms that this pairing is more than sufficient for the game's demands.

Similar Performance Alternatives

If this exact combo is unavailable, the nearest rivals in the database suggest several alternatives that would behave nearly identically in Lockdown Protocol. On the CPU side, the Ultra 5 235's average benchmark score of 46,062 is bracketed by four close competitors. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 at 46,030 is only 0.1% slower, making it a direct substitute for CPU-bound tasks. The Intel Core i9-13900HX at 46,098 is 0.1% faster, and the AMD EPYC 4364P at 45,970 is 0.2% slower. The AMD EPYC 7303 at 45,960 is also 0.2% slower. In practical terms, all five CPUs are within a rounding error of each other, so swapping between them would produce indistinguishable framerates in Lockdown Protocol.

On the GPU side, the RTX 5080's average score of 56,083 is matched by a small group of rivals. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE at 57,367 is 2.2% faster, meaning it would deliver slightly higher framerates in GPU-bound scenarios. The AMD Radeon 8060S at 55,757 is 0.6% slower, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB at 55,698 is 0.7% slower. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X at 54,828 is 2.3% slower. None of these differences are large enough to change the playability verdict at any resolution; they would all produce playable framerates, but the exact FPS would shift by a few percent.

For a system builder, the data suggests that pairing the Ultra 5 235 with any of these rival GPUs would yield a similar experience. The CPU is not a bottleneck at the resolutions tested, so the GPU choice matters more. The RTX 5080's closest rival, the RX 9070 GRE, would be the most direct alternative, offering slightly higher raw performance and likely a few extra FPS in Lockdown Protocol's GPU-bound presets.

CPU and GPU Roles

The measured FPS data reveals a clear division of labor between the CPU and GPU in Lockdown Protocol. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo achieves 345 FPS average. At 2560x1440 Low, that drops to 253 FPS, and at 3840x2160 Low, it falls to 163 FPS. This scaling pattern — a 27% drop from 1080p to 1440p, and a 36% drop from 1440p to 4K — indicates that the GPU is becoming increasingly stressed as resolution rises, even at the lowest preset. The CPU is capable of feeding the GPU at 1080p, but the GPU's workload grows substantially with pixel count.

At Ultra settings, the resolution scaling is even more pronounced. The combo delivers 160 FPS at 1080p, 118 FPS at 1440p, and 76 FPS at 4K. The drop from 1080p to 1440p is 26%, and from 1440p to 4K it is 36%. This is classic GPU-bound behavior: the frame rate falls roughly in proportion to the increase in pixel count, and the CPU's role diminishes as the GPU takes longer to render each frame.

The CPU's influence is most visible when comparing presets at a fixed resolution. At 1080p, moving from Low to Ultra drops the average FPS from 345 to 160, a 54% reduction. At 4K, the same preset change drops FPS from 163 to 76, a 53% reduction. The consistency of these percentages across resolutions suggests that the CPU is not introducing a bottleneck at any resolution; the performance scaling is driven almost entirely by the GPU's ability to handle increased graphical load. If the CPU were limiting, the 1080p Ultra figure would be closer to the 4K Low figure, since both would be CPU-bound. Instead, the data shows clean GPU scaling, meaning the Ultra 5 235 is sufficient to keep the RTX 5080 fed at all tested settings.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: this PC can run Lockdown Protocol at playable framerates across every tested resolution and preset. The playable threshold is set at 60 FPS, and the combo exceeds that at every single measurement point. The verdict by resolution is uniformly positive, with all four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra) marked as playable at 1920x1080, 2560x1440, and 3840x2160.

At 4K, the worst-case scenario is Ultra settings, which still delivers an average of 76 FPS — comfortably above the 60 FPS threshold. There is no resolution or preset combination in the measured data that dips below playable framerates. The lowest recorded average is 76 FPS at 4K Ultra, and the highest is 345 FPS at 1080p Low. Even the minimum FPS figures recorded (for Medium settings) stay well above the threshold: 99 FPS at 4K, 153 FPS at 1440p, and 208 FPS at 1080p.

For gamers seeking the best visual experience, the Ultra preset is achievable at every resolution without dropping below 60 FPS. The combo's weakest point — 4K Ultra at 76 FPS — still leaves a 27% margin above the playable threshold. This is a system that not only runs the game but runs it with headroom to spare, even at the most demanding settings.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions and four settings, providing a complete picture of performance. At 3840x2160, the Low preset delivers 163 FPS average. Medium settings raise the visual quality while maintaining an average of 116 FPS, with a recorded minimum of 99 FPS and maximum of 133 FPS. High settings produce 101 FPS average, and Ultra settings drop to 76 FPS average. No minimum or maximum figures are recorded for Low, High, or Ultra at 4K, but the averages are sufficient for analysis.

At 2560x1440, the numbers scale up significantly. Low settings achieve 253 FPS average. Medium settings deliver 180 FPS average, with minimum and maximum of 153 FPS and 207 FPS respectively. High settings produce 157 FPS average, and Ultra settings maintain 118 FPS average. The 1440p results show a clear progression: each preset step up costs roughly 20-25% performance, but even the most demanding preset stays well above the 60 FPS threshold.

At 1920x1080, the combo reaches its peak performance. Low settings hit 345 FPS average — a figure that will be limited by the display refresh rate in most cases. Medium settings deliver 245 FPS average, with minimum and maximum of 208 FPS and 282 FPS. High settings produce 214 FPS average, and Ultra settings still manage 160 FPS average. The 1080p results are uniformly excellent, with no preset falling below 160 FPS.

For the Medium preset at each resolution, the minimum FPS figures provide useful context. At 4K, the minimum of 99 FPS indicates that even in demanding scenes, the system does not drop below the playable threshold. At 1440p, the minimum of 153 FPS is equally robust. At 1080p, the minimum of 208 FPS leaves enormous headroom. These minimums suggest that frame pacing is consistent and that the system does not suffer from stutters or severe dips.

Best Settings per Resolution

The best settings per resolution are determined by finding the most demanding preset that still maintains an average FPS at or above 60. Since every preset at every resolution clears this threshold, the best settings are simply the Ultra preset everywhere.

At 3840x2160, Ultra settings deliver an average of 76 FPS. This is the most demanding configuration tested, and it remains 27% above the playable threshold. The data shows no reason to compromise on visual quality at 4K; the RTX 5080 is powerful enough to handle the game's maximum settings without falling below 60 FPS.

At 2560x1440, Ultra settings produce 118 FPS average. This is nearly double the 60 FPS threshold, providing a smooth experience on high-refresh-rate monitors. The 1440p Ultra result is 55% faster than the 4K Ultra result, reflecting the lower pixel count and the GPU's ability to render frames more quickly.

At 1920x1080, Ultra settings hit 160 FPS average. This is more than 2.6x the playable threshold, making it ideal for competitive play on 144Hz or even 165Hz displays. The 1080p Ultra result is 35% faster than the 1440p Ultra result, and 110% faster than the 4K Ultra result.

For gamers who prioritize maximum visual fidelity, the recommendation is straightforward: use Ultra settings at all three resolutions. The measured data shows that the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 combination has sufficient headroom at every resolution to run the game at its highest preset, with the weakest average being 76 FPS at 4K. No preset needs to be dialed back to achieve playable framerates, and the system's performance ceiling is high enough that even the most demanding settings leave a comfortable margin above the 60 FPS threshold.